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The Wild Turn of Events in the Rockies Front Office Search

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On Monday, November 3, the Rockies’ search for a new director of baseball operations was seemingly in tatters. Both finalists for the position were no longer in the running, and the GM meetings begin on November 10. In the following 48 hours, the only name mentioned surrounding the position was, bizarrely, 39-year-old right-handed reliever Adam Ottavino. It was a very Rockies-esque turn of events. But on Thursday, the biggest surprise yet happened when Paul DePodesta was announced as the Rockies’ President of Baseball Operations.

Cleveland Browns chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta laughs on the sideline before an NFL preseason football game at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio.

Paul DePodesta Returning to MLB

DePodesta is famously known as the main basis for the analytics guru portrayed by Jonah Hill in the 2011 film Moneyball. He has been in the Cleveland Browns’ front office since 2016 as their chief strategy officer. But before that, he was in the front offices of the San Diego Padres and New York Mets. DePodesta also served as the general manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2004-05. He last served in a Major League Baseball front office in 2016 as the Mets’ vice president of player development and scouting.

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He is leaving one of the most historically mismanaged front offices in professional sports for another. The Browns made the playoffs just twice during DePodesta’s tenure, in 2020 and 2023, going 1-2. But chiefly, DePodesta helped facilitate one of the worst contracts in pro sports while in Cleveland. In 2022, quarterback Deshaun Watson was acquired from the Houston Texans and promptly given a five-year, $230 million contract, with all $230 million guaranteed. It was the most guaranteed money owed to one player in the history of the National Football League. This was all while Watson was facing serious allegations for lewd conduct off the field. Serious injuries, poor play, and terrible public relations for the Browns have marred Watson’s tenure since signing the contract.

Obviously, the Rockies are hoping that DePodesta will be more shrewd when making deals in Colorado. But more of the same from his time in Cleveland would fit right in with the way the Rockies’ front office has operated in the past. Case in point, the ill-fated Kris Bryant and Nolan Arenado extensions.

DePodesta is trading one cynical fan base for another. Rockies’ fans have been conditioned to wait for trap doors around the corner. Until DePodesta proves he is different, each of his moves as the decision maker in Colorado will be watched very closely. But despite all that, DePodesta is far from the worst option the Monforts had.

Rockies Hit Several Benchmarks in Hiring DePodesta

All things considered, the abrupt announcement of DePodesta as the new leader of baseball operations in Colorado was a breath of fresh air. Executive Vice President Walker Monfort kept his word in making an outside hire. After the debacle involving Amiel Sawdaye and Matt Forman earlier in the hiring process, the reality of landing an outside hire seemed bleak.

More importantly, hiring DePodesta ended the chance of Ottavino becoming the next Rockies’ head of baseball ops. Hiring a former Rockie with no front office experience who literally pitched for the New York Yankees this season would have been the most Rockies move of all time.

While a deal came together very quickly, it does not feel like a rushed hire. The Rockies avoided the worst-case scenario of not having a head of baseball operations when the GM meetings begin. Additionally, this is a landmark step for the most insular organization in MLB. DePodesta is the first outside hire to lead the Rockies’ front office since Dan O’Dowd became the Rockies’ GM in 1999.

At last, this organization is admitting its own mistakes and allowing a new voice to step in. But how much freedom will DePodesta have to put his image on the Rockies? If the Monforts don’t give him space to make his own moves, it will be an outside hire in name only. A potential limit on freedom to make moves was rumored to be the reason Sawdaye and Forman’s candidacy went south. The bottom line is the Rockies haven’t made it to the postseason since 2018 and have been awful since. For this to have any shot at working, the Monforts have to get out of the way and give DePodesta the freedom he needs to be successful.

DePodesta Has Several Big Decisions in Front of Him

The Rockies have got their guy to lead their front office. But they are still the only remaining club without a manager. Following Bud Black’s firing, the Rockies were noticeably more competitive under interim Warren Schaeffer. Schaeffer is also just 40 years old and very close with a lot of the roster, having coached a lot of the current Rockies with Triple-A Albuquerque. But will DePodesta want to bring in his own candidate for the position? An answer should arrive soon, as the GM meetings are quickly approaching and making a decision at manager is undoubtedly at the top of DePodesta’s list.

When it comes to personnel, DePodesta will have to make decisions on utility player Tyler Freeman, 26, and outfielder Mickey Moniak, 27. Both are arbitration-eligible and had career years offensively on an atrocious Rockies’ offense. However, they were also major liabilities defensively. But it is scary to think about how much worse the Rockies would have been offensively without the production of both players.

Finally, does DePodesta eat the remaining money and release the oft-injured Bryant? The 33-year-old has played in just 170 games in his four seasons with the Rockies. He appeared in just 11 this season, as he has failed to overcome chronic back issues during his time with Colorado. There is $81 million of guaranteed money remaining on Bryant’s contract, per Spotrac. It will surely go down as the worst contract in Rockies history. But Bryant has no place on a rebuilding Rockies roster. So, will DePodesta begin his tenure in Colorado by distancing himself from the mistakes in the Rockies’ past and mercifully end Bryant’s ill-fated tenure?

A Rocky Mountain to Climb

The Rockies were far and away the worst team in baseball this season, going 43-119, the worst season in franchise history. There are holes all over the roster. The starting rotation, offense, and defense all ranked at or near the bottom league-wide in numerous categories. They were also a franchise-worst 25-56 at home this season. The offense needs to work on fewer strikeouts and hitting with runners in scoring position. The pitching staff needs more strikeouts and fewer walks.

But the good thing for DePodesta is that former GM Bill Schmidt laid the groundwork for the Rockies’ rebuild at the trade deadline. He offloaded several Rockies veterans and bolstered the farm system with some quality pitching prospects. That leaves the Rockies as one of the youngest teams in MLB. The cupboard is not bare. DePodesta will have one of the better bullpens to work with in Rockies history. That is not a high bar, but the bullpen has several young pitchers with high velocity and plenty of intrigue, including righties Victor Vodnik and Seth Halvorsen.

Shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and center fielder Brenton Doyle both had down seasons. But they are not far removed from excellent seasons in 2023 and lead a young crop of exciting position players. Catcher Hunter Goodman was the Rockies’ only All-Star representative and was near the top of the majors in numerous offensive categories among catchers. Goodman’s 31 home runs led the Rockies and are the most all-time by a Rockies catcher. Goodman also recently became the Silver Slugger winner in the National League, the first catcher in Rockies history to do so.

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Analytics, Analytics, Analytics

It is incredibly difficult to gauge how players will perform at altitude from year to year. Finding a way to improve in that category will be the toughest task facing DePodesta. But he is arguably more well-positioned to do so than any other Rockies head of baseball operations before him. Why? Because, finally, the Rockies have a person in charge who relies heavily on analytics. Because of their unique circumstances in playing at altitude at Coors Field, the Rockies arguably need analytics more than any other franchise. But they have routinely been lagging well behind their peers in that department.

The Rockies need a full overhaul when it comes to analytics, and DePodesta is the right person to start that process. Only time will tell if the “Moneyball” man is the key to finally fixing the Rockies’ woes. But for the first time in a long time, the Rockies made the right decision on paper. That counts for something.

 

Main Photo Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

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